The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 93: The Woeful No.1 Assassin

The Woeful No.1 Assassin . . .

"They've battled all the way to this point. Clearly, one of them is exhausted, hence the fight has come to this location. Otherwise, with their cultivation prowess, they wouldn't need to exert themselves so greatly. They are now engaged in a life-and-death struggle, which is undoubtedly the last thing the one being pursued desired."

"The fatigued one is undoubtedly the prey... When someone is hunted, they'd never willingly engage in a protracted battle with their pursuer. If they possessed the strength for a drawn-out fight, they wouldn't have attempted to flee in the first place."

"To engage in close combat, they must get close to each other. However, the prey, at a disadvantage against the hunter, will undoubtedly seize any opportunity to make a high-speed escape. Yet, the hunter has finally caught up... Hence, the second close-quarters clash has now transpired."

"In their first close encounter, the noise was relatively subdued, suggesting the hunter was holding back his power. However, during the second close confrontation, the sound escalated, implying that... following the first battle, the prey sustained injuries, or perhaps... further injuries..."

"As a result, it appears this battle is approaching its conclusion."

"After less than four additional close clashes, the prey will inevitably exhaust his defenses..."

"They've traversed over five hundred miles... It's evident they commenced their skirmish from a location far beyond the opposite end of the capital. They are unquestionably top-tier superior cultivators..."

Cha-Eun Xiao, swift as the wind, cautiously approached the scene. His thoughts swirled with analysis and estimation, yet he remained composed and steady.

He drew ever closer to the tumultuous fray.

Almost simultaneously as he halted, a deafening explosion echoed—BOOM!—this time perilously near him. A deluge of dirt and debris shot into the air and hurtled in his direction. He silently sank to the ground, allowing the soil and grime to shroud his form...

In the next moment, he was engulfed by the debris.

He had previously become a "sweat-drenched individual," and now he evolved into a "mud-covered individual"... Yet the disguise served him remarkably well!

The sound of someone panting grew nearer. Based on the panting, this individual seemed exceedingly fatigued. He could keel over at any moment, never to rise again.

Then, a sword hurtled in his direction, its blade aglow with an icy radiance—shoot!—it came to a halt about ten meters in front of Cha-Eun Xiao, piercing into a stone. This sword acted as a deterrent to prevent the exhausted man from fleeing and served as an instrument to end his life.

A bolt of lightning momentarily illuminated the sky—shoo!—the stone still appeared ordinary after the sword impaled it. However, when the rain began to fall upon it, the rock shattered into four pieces, resembling the petals of a blooming flower.

The sword stood, its point hovering above the ground.

In fact, describing it as "sticking" was inaccurate. The sword was entirely exposed, with not a single part of it embedded in the ground. Yet, it remained upright, emanating a frigid glow. It seemed to levitate in mid-air.

Lightning once more illuminated the heavens, followed by an abrupt return to darkness.

The relentless rain reclaimed its dominance.

The exhausted man regarded the sword as he gasped for breath. Suddenly, he emitted a raspy chuckle before seating himself on the ground. Bitterness tinged his words, "You win... Kill me as you see fit. There's no more purpose in fruitless conversations."

Cha-Eun Xiao was in such close proximity to them, but he dared not make the slightest movement. After all, he was right on the frontline of their battle, and these two were top-tier superior cultivators. The heavy rain had served to obscure his presence, or else he would have been soundly thrashed countless times. The martial art he used to conceal himself was not weak, but the chasm between his capabilities and theirs was insurmountable.

There was little else he could do.

The location Cha-Eun Xiao had chosen was ideal for concealing his presence.

It was a forest incline, and they were approaching this incline, seemingly about to traverse it. If the prey ventured over the top of the incline, his exhaustion would undoubtedly cause him to tumble down the other side. The hunter would then pursue him down, unwittingly leaving Cha-Eun Xiao behind.

Since they had passed over his hiding spot, they would likely not pay any attention to the path they had just traversed, making it an excellent place to remain concealed.

Essentially, events appeared to be unfolding as Cha-Eun Xiao had predicted. Everything was going according to plan.

However, an unexpected development disrupted his expectations.

The hunter unexpectedly hurled his sword to force the prey to halt a few meters away from Cha-Eun Xiao's concealed position.

The prey glanced at the sword, believing that escape was now futile. A sense of desolation washed over him, sapping his remaining strength, and he reluctantly sat down on the ground.

Cha-Eun Xiao remained indifferent to whether the prey had seated himself or not. His primary concern was that they were now only seven meters away from him.

[This is not going as planned at all! Damn it! My luck is truly wretched...]

In such close proximity and faced with two superior cultivators at the Grade of Tianyuan, no matter who detected him first, he was certain to meet his demise.

It was akin to trapping a bird in a cage when closing the door... What a dreadful twist of fate...

While Cha-Eun Xiao, the wise and knowledgeable Xiao Monarch, was indeed formidable in the third level of the Grade of Diyuan, he was invincible against peers at the same level. Even individuals at the fourth or sixth level of the Grade of Diyuan would struggle against him, and he could potentially defeat superior cultivators up to the ninth level of the Grade of Diyuan in a pitched battle.

However, that was the extent of his capabilities. He was powerless against those at the Grade of Tianyuan. In the face of a Grade of Tianyuan cultivator, he could do nothing. These two cultivators before him far exceeded Guan Zheng-Wen in terms of cultivation.

If he were exposed, either of them could easily end his life—a clear example of the higher level suppressing the lower. It was an insurmountable situation.

Amid this bleak circumstance, Cha-Eun Xiao felt a twinge of anxiety. Simultaneously, he experienced an odd sensation. [Why does the prey's voice sound so familiar to me? Could it be? No, it can't be! I've never had contact with such a high-level superior cultivator apart from Guan Zheng-Wen! The prey can't be Guan Zheng-Wen. So, who is he?]

As he contemplated this, he suddenly heard a soft voice, "Must it truly be this way?"

Cha-Eun Xiao was taken aback, nearly exposing his presence.

[Oh no! The hunter is someone I'm actually acquainted with! At the very least, the hunter is an individual whose name and background I'm familiar with! The voice is gentle, soft, calm, akin to a mountain stream's gentle flow, soothing to the soul. It belongs to... the person from the auction... Xiu Of The Heavens! Lady Xiu-Er! She's the one qualified to give orders in the House Of Chaotic Storm! She's the one who exterminated every member of the Mu Clan in the capital!

[Oh, divine heavens...] Cha-Eun Xiao's heart pounded fiercely, [How did I not realize this girl is a top-tier superior cultivator in the Grandmaster Levels of Tianyuan?]

As he delved deeper into his thoughts, he recollected something peculiar. He had indeed recognized that Xiu Of The Heavens possessed extraordinary abilities. However, Cha-Eun Xiao was confident that her capabilities during the auction should not have been as developed as they appeared now. Back then, she was leagues away from the Grade of Tianyuan, let alone the Grandmaster Levels of Tianyuan!

Cha-Eun Xiao would swear upon his sharp perception and life that he hadn't misjudged her. He was certain of it!

But since their last encounter, just a month ago, this girl had remarkably advanced from the Grade of Diyuan to the Grandmaster Levels of Tianyuan. Wasn't that an astonishing leap?

[What... What in the world is happening? What could it be?!]

The prey let out a hoarse, bitter laugh and spoke, "Before I meet my end, I wish to clarify the truth. You asked if it had to be like this, but I have the same question for you. What drove you to pursue me like this?"

His voice carried a profound sense of resignation, and despair hung heavy in the air. It was a devastating situation for him—being a top-tier superior cultivator facing death at the hands of a seemingly seventeen-year-old girl. His pride couldn't accept such a fate. While he may have come to terms with his impending demise, he desperately sought answers.

Xiu Of The Heavens remained silent for a moment before responding, "Ning Bi-Luo, I viewed you as an exceptional cultivator and extended an invitation for you to join the House of Chaotic Storm. I promised you that, once you joined, you would have complete authority over the assassination operations of our organization. Furthermore, I pledged to resolve the issues between you and the Saint Master. These terms should have been more than satisfactory. However, you chose hostility and initiated an attack prematurely. Can you provide an explanation for your actions?"

In that instant, Cha-Eun Xiao's memory was jogged.

Ning Bi-Luo.

The Land of Han-Yang's No.1 assassin.

However, he found himself slightly surprised. [How tragic the fate of this No.1 assassin has become.]

He had heard of Ning Bi-Luo on multiple occasions. The second time, it was regarding his assassination group crumbling as he fought to escape from his pursuers. At that point, he was still on the run...

Their first encounter happened when Cha-Eun Xiao had just been freed from Wen-Ren Chu-Chu's clutches. It was a chance occurrence. On that day, Ning Bi-Luo was relentlessly pursued and desperately fleeing for his life. Had Cha-Eun Xiao not offered him a small favor, Ning Bi-Luo might have met his end.

Now, Cha-Eun Xiao had crossed paths with him once more, and Ning Bi-Luo was still on the run. However, this time, his pursuer was significantly more formidable than before.

[Could it be that in his past life, he was like a stray rat on the street?] Cha-Eun Xiao pondered.